The advent of Japanese whisky has been widely attributed to Masataka Taketsuru who began his whisky pilgrimage in 1918, when he journeyed to the illustrious liquid’s spiritual heartland, the Celtic nations. Masataka’s family ran a sake brewery, still in operation today, and as such he was taught the skills of alcohol production, furthering his education at the University of Glasgow where he studied chemistry. This and his apprenticeships at Scotch whisky distilleries afforded him a great depth of knowledge about production and blending. In 1920, Masataka Taketsuru married Jessie ‘Rita’ Roberta Cowan and the couple lived for a few months in Campbeltown. They travelled to Japan later that year.
In 1934, Masataka established Nikka Whisky and his first distillery was built in Hokkaido and named Yoichi. The area was well-suited to whisky production, though its location was remote. In 1969, a second distillery was founded, Miyagikyo Distillery, or Sendai Distillery as it has been known. Its first whiskies were sold as Sendai Single Malt and it was not until Asahi Brewery’s acquisition of Nikka in 2001 that the Miyagiko Distillery was expanded to cope with national demand. The Nikka range includes the single malts from the pair of distilleries as well as a range of vatted and blended malts.
However, soaring demand for Japanese whisky began to outstrip supply, and in early 2019 it was announced that Nikka was axing Nikka 12 and temporarily suspending the Coffey Grain and Malt whiskies. 2019 was also the first year that the Yoichi plant started distilling in January, as opposed to the traditional four-month distilling seasons from March until June and again from September to early December, in an effort to increase production.
The Miyagikyo distillery also announced an expansion in early 2019, to be completed by 2021, along with the news that Nikka has procured many more casks to age whisky from the distillery, boosting storage by 40%.
You never usually see Fuji whiskey outside of Japan… until now! This single grain is made predominately of malted barley and corn with some rye and comprises three different styles, a Canadian-style grain whiskey made using batch distillation with a kettle distiller (similar to a pot still), a bourbon-style grain whiskey distillate using a doubler (Fuji boasts the only kettle and Doubler outside the U.S.), and a Scotch-style grain whisky made using a column still.
Check out the bottom of the bottle and you’ll notice an indent that looks a little like a mountain. Isn’t there a Mount Fuji? Probably just a coincidence.
From the giant Fuji Gotemba Distillery comes the brand’s signature single malt. Yes, the distillery is at the base of Mount Fuji and that’s where it gets its name. Matured in a combination of bourbon and beer casks (the brand is owned by the Kirin Brewery Company so has good access), this is an elegant, Scotch-style single malt.
This is a blend of single malt and grain whiskies made at Fuji Gotemba distillery. It was matured in ex-bourbon casks which add aromas of coconut alongside dried apricot and peach on the nose, followed by pleasant notes of orchard fruit, citrus peel and rosehip.
€42Original price was: €42.€39.99Current price is: €39.99.
Gin from Nikka?! Oh yes, my friends, the folks at Nikka aren’t simply just whisky geniuses – they’re accomplished gin producers too! Produced in Coffey stills using a base of barley and corn, Nikka Coffey Gin features a selection of enjoyably vibrant botanicals, including amanatsu, kabosu, shikuwasa and yuzu, as well as sansho pepper, among others.
€59Original price was: €59.€55Current price is: €55.
Using the two Coffey stills at the Miyagikyo distillery, which were imported from Scotland to Japan in 1963, Nikka have produced a number of single cask single grain whiskies from time to time over the years. This, however, is their larger release of wonderfully exotic single grain whisky. Now in a 70cl bottle!
Previously only released as part of single casks, Nikka decided to add their Coffey Malt to their core range in 2014. Distilled in a Coffey still normally used for grain whisky production, the malt is delightfully fruity and spicy.
Nikka Days is a brilliantly bright blended Japanese whisky from the legendary producer, featuring spirits from the Miyagikyo and Yoichi distilleries. The slightly peated whisky delicately balances both fruity and malted flavours. The sunny packaging is sure to brighten up your day too!
This limited edition Yoichi Non Peated is the first bottling of the “Nikka Discovery” series. It breaks away from the usual peaty image of Yoichi expressions and offers a Single Malt made entirely of unpeated malts.
It offers a nice balance, delicate and bursting with fruit, rich in the mouth with the characteristic smoke of charcoal distillation.
Created to celebrate Nikka’s 90th birthday, the “Nikka Discovery” series looks back on the different whisky-making processes used by the Japanese distillery over generations.
This Single Malt Miyagikyo is the fruit of a blend of peated malts, resulting in a peaty expression that differs significantly from the usually light and fruity expressions of Miyagikyo. Around a frank peat, bright and smoky fruity notes appear.
This limited edition is part of the “Nikka Discovery” series, launched on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Nikka Whisky, which retraces the production processes used over the years.
The Barrel square glass bottle and minimalist label comes the Nikka Whisky Gold & Gold a.k.a ‘G & G’ Samurai blended whisky in this exceptionally crafted armour.
This is a blend of malt and grain whiskies, with fruity, floral, caramel, and sweet sweet brown sugar aromas.The palate is nicely light, butter, biscuits, light spices, Christmas cake, and raisins. The finish is short to medium, berries, light spices, cinnamon and nuts. Tasting notes courtesy of Taste The Dram, perfectly described!
€79.99Original price was: €79.99.€65Current price is: €65.
Nikka’s entry-level whisky from Miyagikyo distillery. Light in body, yet full of flavour, this is an excellent introduction to Japanese whisky. Elegantly fruity with sherry-cask character.
Produced by Nikka to add some competition to the world whisky stage and match the Suntory Ao release. The whisky is a blend of malts from Yoichi, Miyagikyo, and Ben Nevis distilleries. Nikka who own the Ben Nevis Distillery in Scotland are now utilising the delicious spirit produced there and using it in a few of their blends. Suntory recently produced the Suntory World Whisky by using whisky distilleries from different countries and blending them together. This has motivated Nikka to do the same and we think they have created a very nice whisky indeed. It’s Nikka’s first new whisky in six years. Bottled at 43% ABV.
Introduced to replace the beloved Nikka 12 Year Old, Tailored is a blend of malt whisky from Nikka’s Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries as well as its Coffey Still grain. The whisky balances soft fruity notes with bitter notes of dark chocolate and citrus zest.
€650Original price was: €650.€450Current price is: €450.
The reputation of the 21 year old Taketsuru pure malts is well established and the 17 year old edition is equally as well balanced.
Another winner from Nikka’s Taketsuru range. This was named for the founder of the company, Masataka Taketsuru and is a big, bold full-bodied vatted whisky of truly exceptional depth, grace and balance.
€1,195Original price was: €1,195.€990Current price is: €990.
This range of blended malts is named after the Nikka founder. Taketsuru 21 year old was highly acclaimed, but was discontinued alongside the 25 and 17 year old expressions in 2020 after unprecedented 21st century demand for Japanese whisky left even its largest companies suffering from stock shortages.
This 25 year old edition of Nikka’s Taketsuru blended malt whisky is a very rare sight. The Taketsuru expression was named in honour of the company’s founder, Masataka Taketsuru, made with malt whiskies from the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. The well-aged whiskies within this brilliant blended malt display a fantastic balance of Sherried goodness, floral elegance and a subtle hint of peat.
A new edition of Nikka’s Taketsuru Pure Malt, released in 2020! It features a new recipe, showing off the excellent balance of the Japanese whisky, alongside wafts of smoke and waves of creamy malt. The name is a reference to Nikka’s founder, Masataka Taketsuru, who established Nikka all the way back in 1934!
A non-age-statement expression of Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt whisky, named after the company’s founder, Masataka Taketsuru. It features plenty of whisky from the Miyagikyo distillery, as well as percentage of malt matured in sherry casks to give it a rich, spiced nose.
Nikka Whisky’s first distillery and guardian of their tradition, Yoichi is located on the coast of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan.
Crafted using methods from the past, such as direct coal heating, the Yoichi single malt truly captures the authentic character of its exceptional location, with its refined coastal and peat notes.
Along with Yoichi’s original smokiness, this 10-year-old version offers round maturity generated over years integrated with distinctive peaty, well-balanced woody and delicate herbaceous notes.
Fruity, floral, peated Japanese single malt from Yoichi distillery on Japan’s nothernmost main island, Hokkaido. It’s one of a pair of exciting Nikka releases based around aromas and flavours from fermentation and yeast, the other being Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast, an unpeated whisky from Yoichi’s sister distillery.
Utilising their experience of using and experimentating with various different yeast strains, Nikka fermented this batch of whisky at a low temperature for a particularly estery character said to be akin to a fine daiginjo sake.
€985Original price was: €985.€899Current price is: €899.
This range of blended malts is named after the Nikka founder. Taketsuru 21 year old was highly acclaimed, but was discontinued alongside the 25 and 17 year old expressions in 2020 after unprecedented 21st century demand for Japanese whisky left even its largest companies suffering from stock shortages.
